:Black Ensemble Theater Company

{{Infobox company

| logo = Black_Ensemble_Theater_Company_logo.png

| hq_location_city = Chicago, Illinois

| website = https://blackensembletheater.org/

}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}}

Black Ensemble Theater Company is a theatre company that performs at the Black Ensemble Cultural Center in the Uptown community area of Chicago, Illinois. The company is known for productions related to African-American culture, especially musicals depicting notable African-American musicians and performers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.centerstagechicago.com/theatre/theatres/black-ensemble.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040519044903/http://www.centerstagechicago.com/theatre/theatres/black-ensemble.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 19, 2004|title=Black Ensemble Theater|access-date=August 29, 2008|publisher=Centerstage Media LLC}} The company is a significant contributor to Chicago's emergence as a Theater Town,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/19/theater/opening-chicago-wave-new-world-premieres-signal-theater-town-s-openness-fresh.html|title=Opening in Chicago, a Wave of the New; World Premieres Signal a Theater Town's Openness to Fresh Voices|access-date=August 29, 2008|date=May 19, 2003|work=The New York Times|author=Kinzer, Stephen}} and its theater has been selected as one of the 25 top major theaters in the country by the Encyclopædia Britannica Almanac.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/about_BE.php|title=About BE|access-date=August 29, 2008|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925020216/http://www.blackensembletheater.org/about_BE.php|archive-date=September 25, 2008|df=mdy-all}}

The company performed in the Black Ensemble Theater at 4520 North Beacon Street until it opened a new state of the art {{convert|50000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Black Ensemble Cultural Center at 4450 N. Clark Street, on November 18, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/blog/onstagebackstage/2011-12-05/black-ensemble-theater-quo-vadis-94632|title=Black Ensemble Theater: Quo Vadis?|access-date=November 5, 2014|date=December 6, 2011|publisher=WBEZ|author=Abarbanel, Jonathan|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105071123/http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/blog/onstagebackstage/2011-12-05/black-ensemble-theater-quo-vadis-94632|archive-date=November 5, 2014|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/8963606-417/black-ensemble-opens-new-home-with-rousing-jackie-wilson-story.html#.VFmjssmwVGQ|title=Black Ensemble opens new home with rousing 'Jackie Wilson Story'|access-date=November 5, 2014|date=November 20, 2011|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Weiss, Hedy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105060450/http://www.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/8963606-417/black-ensemble-opens-new-home-with-rousing-jackie-wilson-story.html#.VFmjssmwVGQ|archive-date=November 5, 2014|url-status=dead}} The company raised $20M dollar to build the new theater which is also in Uptown. The new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center was designed by Morris Architects Planners, who has previously designed Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, and Playhouse on the Square.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/capital_compaign.php|title=Capital Campaign|access-date=August 29, 2008|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705120507/http://blackensembletheater.org/capital_compaign.php|archive-date=July 5, 2008|df=mdy-all}} The new theater is being located in a former warehouse that cost US$3.5 million to purchase and many times more than that to renovate.{{Cite web|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1108F62BB0353F60&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2|title=STAGES of DEVELOPMENT - Area entertainment landmarks switch locations in hopes that the thrill will remain the same |access-date=August 29, 2008|date=March 24, 2006|publisher=Newsbank|work=Chicago Tribune|author=Lara, Alison Neumer}} Approximately $20 million is being raised to fund the construction of the new theater.{{Cite web|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=11726F5D55C9A6E8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2|title=Jackie Taylor: Founder of the Black Ensemble Theater|access-date=August 29, 2008|date=February 7, 2007|publisher=Newsbank|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Baldacci, Leslie}}

Among the recent productions are musicals celebrating Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, Billie Holiday, Dionne Warwick, Teddy Pendergrass and Stax Records.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/press-releases|title=Press Releases|access-date=August 29, 2008|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525022156/http://www.blackensembletheater.org/press-releases|archive-date=May 25, 2011|url-status=dead}} The production I Am Who I Am (The Story of Teddy Pendergrass) that opened on March 15, 2008, was extended through the end of 2008.{{cite press release|title=DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND CHICAGO'S BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES THE EXTENSION OF I AM WHO I AM (THE STORY OF TEDDY PENDERGRASS)|date=July 7, 2008|author1=Malik, Farrah |author2=Beth Silverman |name-list-style=amp }} The company has a history of presenting as many as a half-dozen productions a year since opening in 1976.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/past-productions|title=Past Productions|access-date=August 29, 2008|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525022147/http://www.blackensembletheater.org/past-productions|archive-date=May 25, 2011|url-status=dead}} The theater's productions have been critically recognized.{{Cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1091243,CST-FTR-Hedy05web.article|title=Theater, dance masters heralded in Black Theater Allilance nominations|access-date=August 29, 2008|date=August 5, 2008|publisher=Digital Chicago, Inc.|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Weiss, Hedy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109114509/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1091243,CST-FTR-Hedy05web.article|archive-date=November 9, 2010|url-status=dead}} Some have had lengthy multiple-year runs and national tours such as The Jackie Wilson Story, which was the first traveling production of the Black Ensemble Touring Venture and which played for four weeks at the Apollo Theater. The theater company has also traveled nationally to perform to festivals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/06/theater/newsandfeatures/06fest.html?|title=A Six-Day Bash Celebrates Black Theater|access-date=August 29, 2008|date=August 6, 2005|work=The New York Times|author=Dewan, Shaila}}

The group's more than one hundred performances have been produced by its founder, Jackie Taylor, since 1976.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theatreinchicago.com/news.php?articleID=146|title=Black Ensemble Theater Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Two World Premieres|access-date=August 29, 2008|publisher=Theatre In Chicago}} When producing musical biographies, Taylor uses a formula of including at least eighteen of the artist's hits, some high points and low points in the artist's career, at least one climactic moment of chaos and an uplifting ending, which is the most important element.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/06/theater/theater-rise-crash-rehab-die-behind-the-music-invades-the-theater.html|title=Theater; Rise, Crash, Rehab, Die: 'Behind the Music' Invades the Theater |access-date=August 29, 2008|date=April 6, 2003|work=The New York Times|author=Zinoman, Jason}}